


The After-Hours

by bookingit



Category: Daredevil (TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, I don't think that there's a fic yet of Kastle in the Soul World, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), but...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-06
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2020-01-05 19:00:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18372164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookingit/pseuds/bookingit
Summary: Both closed their eyes. Neither expected to open them again.Or, Frank and Karen after Infinity War.





	1. An Empty Handgun

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! So I was trying to write for one of my other works, and this idea just wouldn't leave me alone.  
> Let me know what you think.  
> Kudos! Comments!  
> (Writers Love Feedback)  
> As always, enjoy!

_Oh G-d. What is this what’s happening itfeelswrongwrongwrong_ \--  

Karen’s prepared herself for the possibility of dying. But nothing could have readied her for whatever is going on right now.

This isn't  _right_. Whatever death is, this can’t be it.

A scream bubbles up in her throat as all around her human beings simply... _aren’t. ~~~~_

The part of death in general that horrifies Karen the most is that one moment you live you experience life. You see, hear, smell, _think_ ~~~~. And then one day, you don’t.

But at least with a normal death, you don’t  _suddenly disintegrate._

_Chin up, Kay_ , she tells herself sternly, setting her coffee down on the sidewalk as ash begins to flurry around her ankles. Whether it’s from her own body or from… _elsewhere_ she can’t tell, but she doesn’t think she could handle the sight of her coffee cup falling to the street because…

Because she no longer has hands to hold it up.

Besides, it's not like she'll  _need_  it anymore, right?

Karen drops her purse to the sidewalk, rifling around in it until her fingers encounter the cool metal of a gun. There’s not much time left. But she draws the piece from her bag and removes the magazine, tucking it into her pocket.

Dead though she might be, Karen Page will not be responsible for needless death just because some asshole looter finds a loaded gun lying around on the sidewalk.

Dead though she might be...

She’s going. She’s ready. And she’s  _frightened_.  

Karen raises her head and closes her eyes to the stricken world.

_Breathe, Karen. Just…breathe._

The full magazine is a reassuring weight against her leg, a reminder of—

Karen exhales, and is no more.

Ashes flutter down to the sidewalk.


	2. A Full Arsenal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, y'all.  
> So, I'll keep it brief this time.  
> If you find something wrong with the chapter, PLEASE TELL ME SO I CAN FIX IT.  
> Thanks for reading.  
> Enjoy!

Frank Castle’s first instinct upon hearing screams is to run towards the danger. Or to grab a gun, and _maybe then_ move toward the danger.

It doesn’t seem that strange to him, when he hears shouting from the street below his safehouse window, to cross the room to grab a scope. To slide it onto one of his guns and walk over to the window.

Frank moves to set the rifle down, because _what the fuck?_

People everywhere are disappearing. A closer look through the scope shows ash that litters the sidewalk, that flies through the air past his window…

He doesn't want to think about where it's coming from.

He sets the rifle down decisively and starts strapping on his nighttime gear.

His vest, the long coat, a sawed-off. At least five handguns. His knife and extra ammo.

_I am Frank Castle, and if I go, I’m going armed to the fucking teeth._

Frank walks over to the window to see, once more, the chaos on the street.

A scream from down below as a car stops suddenly, with no one to hold the gas pedal down.

He can almost hear Billy’s voice. _Come on, Frankie-boy. You knew it was gonna end this way, with you all by yourself._

Frank braces himself on the windowsill.

_I am Frank Castle_ , he thinks quietly, _and I am dying alone._

_Yeah, I knew it would end up this way,_ he thinks, closing his eyes and remembering the flash of golden hair as Karen padded barefoot out of that hospital room.

_…but it didn’t_ have _to._

Frank bows his head and feels weightless for the briefest of moments. Before he knows it, he’s gone.


End file.
